The 1,000 mile service is more than just a fluid change. If you have the experience to wrench on it, have at it. Bolts and fasteners need checked with a torque wrench, bearings in the wheels and neck should be inspected, the list is in your service manual.
If you can afford to buy a new bike, you may not WANT to pay for the service, but you can afford it.

You don't have to have the dealer do the 1K service. The requirement is that this service be done. It can be done by you or another mechanic. Save the work order/receipts - you will need them if there is a problem that may result from this service

This is just me, but I will have my dealer do the 1K service. It's good IMO to have the bike looked over by the place I bought it from.

I bought my 08 SG new in January 09. The dealer did the first service, but I've done all the services since. I was an auto mechanic for 25 years so I have mechanical ability, just not a lot of experience on a Harley.
Get yourself a shop manual. It tells you what you need to know, and more importantly what you don't know. If it's your first Harley, the learning curve is a bit steep, but doable.

Like others have said get a service manual from dealership and take it slow,you can do it.. I have a 2010 Limited and have done all services my self, saved a bunch of cash... You can do it.. I have over 30,000 miles now..

My problem with scheduled maint. at the dealer is that we all know what is supposed to be done, but do they actually do all that they are supposed to. I had to take my bike back after having maint.done on my bike once to have steering head bearings adjusted because they were too loose. The maint. that I just had done by the same shop they were supposed to have adjusted those bearings, there was no charge but then made me wonder what else hadn't been done. If you can do it you're self that's the way to go, then you'll know it was done & done right.

As long as I am physically and mentally able to do my own maintenance on everything, bikes, cars, trucks, house, tractor and equipment, I will do it so I KNOW it is done right. Not saying any dealership will short you, but I have watched car dealerships short checklists, and I suspect other places do it also. Buy the service manual and do it yourself if you have the capability.

My first service is free. I priced three dealers around me before buying, and all of them included the first service free.

I keep a three ring binder for all my vehicles, and put all the crap in there: receipts for oil, tires, services,

you just have to have receipts, like if you change your own oil, write the Mileage on it, and throw it in the binder. if you are OCD, rip the top of the oil filter box and put in there.

that shows at xx mileage, you had it serviced.

FWIW, i think the "look over" of the 1k mile service is just peace of mind, for you, the Dealer, and the MoCo. think of it as a final "quality check"

and when you go to sell the scoot, you have all the labels, instructions and all that jazz to make it look like you babied it. it lets a new buyer know what is REALLY on the bike, by part number, too, like the Kurakyn brake light modulator and stuff like that.

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